History

where we where and where we are going......
The history of the Educational Assistant has gone through many changes over the years. 

The past.......
 when we talked about inclusion we were normally talking about trying to make a student normal or allowing them to try mainstream. 

Moving towards.....
allowing everyone to learn together and at their own levels with or with assistance or modifications. 

The past........                                    
All specialized services were based on a medical diagnosis, and a labelled followed them through the years. The responsibility of the student fell on the special needs educational teacher and the educational assistants and they received programming based on the students disabilities. 

Moving towards......
the responsibility for the student learning and development is now on the education system as a whole. All students will have a meaningful learning opportunity of study. All students strengths and needs will be identifyed and the supports they need and will be made available. 

The past........
identify the students learning barriers and development and change the program to fit the student. Teachers referred to assessments to identify the students needs.  the focus was on the students deficits and Individual program plans (IPP) were made for the students with goals to be met and ways to do that.

moving towards.....
supporting the student with better supports rather than change the student. Focused on the students strengths and what they can do and building on it. If the student needs help an educational assistant would sit and help them. quality vs quantity. 

the past.......
tolerating differences, the teachers very much struggles to feel like they had an awareness of what the students disabilities were and that they were meeting the students needs even with an assistant.

moving towards.......
valuing diversity, teachers are supported with classroom assistant's to help meant the diverse needs in the classroom. Also for differentiated instructions to met the different needs. 

the past.....
medically trained experts and specialists for identified the needs for the students. 

moving towards......
including teachers and parents, specialists and others to collaborate to identify and provide for the needs of the students. 
(www.education.alberta.ca)